


Persona 5: The Tribe

by KROWRIM



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Personas (Persona Series), Canon-Typical Violence, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Family Issues, Gangs, Implied Sexual Content, Mystery, Organized Crime, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:01:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23916466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KROWRIM/pseuds/KROWRIM
Summary: Akira was sent away for a crime he wasn't responsible for. Now he has to stay in Tokyo for a year while having to live with the reputation as the Devil of Japan. Thanks to his amazing strength and skills in fighting, Akira finds himself keeping his head down in order to avoid conflict. This proves to be impossible once he learns of theose who wish to use their power to rule over others. Now he fights.
Relationships: Amada Ken/Dojima Nanako, Kujikawa Rise/Narukami Yu, Kurusu Akira/Suzui Shiho, Kurusu Akira/Yoshizawa Kasumi, Niijima Makoto/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Suzui Shiho, Persona 5 Protagonist/Yoshizawa Kasumi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> My take on the Persona 5, and to an extent the series, story.

The Devil of Japan.

"You're a monster!"

"Rot in hell!"

The name he was given a that time ago.

"Fucker!"

"Die in a ditch!"

"Get the fuck outta my town!"

He was the strongest one of the Tribe. It was simply a fact that he had proven time and time again.

"Stay away from us!"

"You're no son of mine!"

"I hate you!"

The Tribe was his family. He grew up with them, became one of them, he even led them at one point.

"The jury declares the defendant, guilty."

"You will be on probation for a year."

"Damn brat! I'll sue!"

He was Akira Kurusu. The Devil of Japan. He was given this name because it fit him the best. Feared by those who dare to oppose him or the Tribe. Feared by his teachers and peers. Feared by those who have crossed him or hurt him. He never made a deal unless he knew it would benefit him in some way while screwing over everyone else. He was unpredictable and dangerous.

What a bunch of bullshit.

If you asked anyone in the Tribe they would tell you how good Akira really was. No one would believe them of course. After all, who would trust a group of delinquents? He wishes he was with them.

Instead he was on a train heading to his home for the next year.

Tokyo was bound to be vastly different from the countryside he called home. Something about the hustle and bustle of the city made him feel uneasy just thinking about it. He silently scolded himself for feeling so vulnerable. It would be the first time in years that he would have no allies around to help him out should another group try to challenge him. That was only one of the many things that was on his mind.

His heart almost broke when he saw the tears in his sister's eyes.

He clenched his fists in anger just thinking about how exposed she is without him there. He hated having a pretty little sister that everyone was trying to get with. It only got worse once they learned they were siblings. Now every thug and punk were rushing to get into her pants. Sure he had people now looking out for her but it didn't really calm his worries. All it took was one asshole to get just a bit too ballsy and try something.

He tried to rest as much as he could by looking out the window. In truth, Akira hated confrontation. He would rather go without fighting if he could but the world was tough. It was also a bitch. He didn't do anything wrong that night. He was just trying to save her from the bald bastard. He should've just let it be but he just couldn't. Maybe he did deserve this.

The intercom announced the next stop which was the one he needed to get off on. He knew that he was going to be staying with some guy his uncle knew from his youth. Akira didn't know much outside of that. Sojiro Sakura was his name. If he was anything like his uncle.....Akira shuttered at the thought. He simply grabbed his bag and prepared to get off. Once the train came to a stop he made his exit.

Once he left the station he found himself in the middle of the great city. There was so many people around. People aging from little kids to old salary men wondered the streets. His eyes shifted between them and the large billboards that depicted several different brands Akira had never even heard of.

He didn't stay standing there for too long. He had a guardian to meet. He began to head to the next station when he heard a quiet snicker from behind. He dared to take a peek only to find two people staring right at him. Both were grinning at him but he couldn't make out much more. They both wore hats that covered the top half of their faces. He turned with the intention of confronting them only to find that they had vanished among the crowd. He looked around to no avail.

Must be seeing things.

He turned away and headed to his initial destination. Once he boarded the next train he took the time to input the directions into his phone. Seemed simple enough. He closed the app and placed the phone into his pocket. The train came to a stop some time later at the next station. Alira hopped off and began to navigate his way through the smaller station before he found himself above ground. To the back streets he went.

Normally the back streets would be a place to avoid back home. You never knew what gang controlled the area until you were getting mugged by some 2 bit gangsters. Of course this was never a problem for Akira. Regardless it was bizarre for him to see this many people freely walking around. Seems like it was a safe area to be in. It didn't matter. He began to walk down the street towards the address of Sakura, passing by the local residents. Akira could almost feel their eyes on him as he walked.

Probably looking at his hand or his neck.

He placed his wrapped hand into his pocket and pulled his collar up as much as he could. It would have to do for now. He finally found the home he was looking for towards the edge of the street. He also found a delivery man talking about Sakura not being home and most likely being at his Cafe. Well at least he can grab some food.

He turned on his heel and headed back the way he came. He recalled seeing something resembling a cafe on his way. Once again he felt everyone watching him which made his wish he had a scarf. He had to remind himself that having a tattoo in the city wasn't normal. Especially not ones like his. Finally he reached the shop. LeBlanc? Interesting name. He took a deep breath and entered.

Inside was an elderly couple and a middle aged man looking at some crossword puzzle. Akira looked around the retro styled shop and smiled. It wasn't so bad. Finally the man noticed him and tossed the paper down onto the counter.

Akira didn't catch what he said. The couple stood up and thanked him for the coffee before walking past Akira and out the door. The man introduced himself as Sojiro.

"I was wondering what kind of unruly kid I would be getting. So you're Kai's nephew? The Devil?" The old man questioned.

Akira just nodded and held out a hand.

"My name is Akira Kurusu. I'll be under your care for the next year."


	2. Life Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira goes to Shujin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the replacement for Phantoms of Shujin. I just wasn't feeling it but now things are different.

Akira didn't know what to say. The attic was nice enough, definitely a step up to the room he had been staying in a month before everything happened, but it was cluttered. There were a lot of things Ren tolerated. Dust was not one of them. Sojiro gave him the run down, "don't be a shit", before leaving him to his own devices. This was his room for the next year. Sojiro had pretty much explained everything to him regarding the school and how he needs to write in the small letter journal. Akira actually found it was kind of nice writing in it. Besides all of that it looked like he would need to buckle down and get started in cleaning. The dust was causing him to sneeze every few minutes but it calmed down as time went by. 

He decides he had done enough by the time Sojiro comes back up. The old man looked around the open space and nodded in approval.

"I was wondering what all that noise was. Didn't expect you to be cleaning though."

Akira just sat down on the bed.

"What'd you think I was doing?" He asked.

Sojiro just shrugged.

"Whatever Devils do." He simply stated.

Akira let out an unamused laugh. He really did hate that name. He wasn't a devil. Then again he wasn't a saint. For a as long as he could remember, he had been shined on with a red light. Hell, his first day of middle school ended with him getting suspended for punching a boy. He was picking on a boy Akira knew. He had it coming.

"Actually, well I have you, we need to talk. You know you have a target on your back since everyone knows who you are. Although I doubt they know what you look like." Sojiro began to point out.

That would be an issue.

"Your uncle pulled some strings with The Ryu and they are working to keep you hidden. From now on I'll call you Ren in public. If you're smart you'll introduce yourself to others as such." Sojiro explained.

"Why Ren?" Akira asked.

"Your uncle's idea. Not mine. It's just for your own safety." Sojiro said before heading back towards the stairs.

Ren? That was an odd name to use. Of course Sojiro would have to explain everything to the school. That was a worry for tomorrow.

"Oh, get some sleep. We're going to meet your principal tomorrow." Sojiro ordered.

Once he was gone, Akira changed into his night wear. Might as well get some sleep.  
\--------------  
Akira found himself laying on the cold ground. The entire room was a strange blue. His head began to hurt as he sat up and looked around. Everything was blue. Blue as far as the eye can see. Where was he? What was that damn music? It was some kind of opera singer with a calming piano. It was annoying.

He finally found himself on his feet and spotted a girl dancing to the music. She looked like a child with long platinum colored hair. Her dress was the same blue as the room and wore some kind of butterfly headband. What really caught Akira's eyes were her own. They were a haunting yellow. It took him a moment to realize that they were staring at each other.

"You aren't supposed to be here." She calmly spoke.

Akira tried to talk but suddenly found himself unable to. He couldn't tell if it was because it wasn't possible, or if he just had nothing to say. The girl slowly, gracefully, moved towards him. She stopped right in front of him and smiled.

"Why do you hid the art upon your body?" She asked.

Akira raised his hand and realized it was uncovered. The branch of his tree was now visible along with the pink pedals. No doubt his neck was uncovered as well. The girl reached out and gently grabbed his hand which caused him to flinch. She was cold. Freezing to the touch.

She waited a moment before gently grabbing his hand again. She slowly slid his sleeve up his arm. The branch came into full view. He recalled the day he got this particular part done. It was a day for celebration but only for the Tribe. The black branches twisted around his arm. Covering the many empty spaces were pink pedals. It was his friend's idea. He could never say no to her.

The girl moved her fingers along the scared ink before her hand moved to his chest. She then moved her hand to his neck where she found more markings.

"They're beautiful."

She removed her hand and stepped back. She then began to unbutton her dress. Akira wasn't a stranger to a woman's body, but something about this made him feel uneasy. Maybe it was because she looked younger? Perhaps because she reminded him of some of his friends? Why was she even doing this?

He got his answer once she turned around and lowered her dress until it was off her shoulders. On her back was a beautifully elegant tattoo. It was golden and shined in the blue hue of the room. She looked at him from over her shoulder. Her eyes hunting him as they met his own.

"We're similar it seems." She giggled.

She lifted her dress back up and fixed it before turning back to Akira. She held her hands behind her back.

"I apologize but you really must go now. We were never supposed to meet. Perhaps in another life, we could be friends." She smiled sweetly.

Suddenly the room went black.  
\-----------  
Akira woke up with a start. He shot up in a cold sweat and tried to catch his breath. He held a hand against his chest before realizing he was shirtless. When did that happen? He looked down at his bare chest in confusion. He began to trace his finger along the colorful art on his body. He recalled his parent's words when they first saw them. The Tribe were a lot more supportive.

Once he had managed to calm down, he laid back in the bed and sighed. He had to go to the school and meet people. He really didn't like people. He sighed just as Sojiro walked up the stairs.

"You awake? Good. Hurry up and get ready. I'm driving you." He ordered.

He began to head down the stairs but stopped suddenly.

"Make sure you cover those. People around here aren't exactly welcoming to people covered in tattoos." He pointed out.

Akira rolled his eyes.

"I'm not covered by them. Just my arm, which I can just wrap some bandages around, my back and some of my chest." Akira argued.

Sojiro smirked as he pointed to his neck. Oh, and those.

"You have a scarf?" Akira asked.  
\-------  
Traffic was hell. Akira had half expected that. The news on the radio had mentioned something about a train going off the rails. He never did trust the things. Too damn dangerous. Once they reached the school, Akira could say he was impressed. It was bigger than the one back home and it did look more modern. He wondered how many kids went here. Sojiro lead him through the halls and up the stairs to the office where they meet, oh God. He looked like an egg. Then again the lady he was with looked kind of cute. A little tired and older but cute.

"This is Ms. Kawakami. She will be your homeroom teacher." Eggman explained.

The woman didn't react until the principal snapped her out of her thoughts.

"O-oh. Yes I am Ms. Kawakami. Here is your school handbook and student ID." She said as she slid three items across the table.

Akira spotted the two things she had mentioned, but there was a piece of pink paper underneath that she seemed to have failed to notice. Akira picked up the first two things but left the pink paper. Before he could get a good look at it, Kawakami snatched it up.

"I-if you break any of the rules then you will be suspended immediately. I can't do anything to help you." She explained.

She then turned back to the the round headed man.

"That about covers it right?" She asked.

"Yes that covers most of it."

"But did it really have to me?"

"Your class was the only one with an opening."

Akira felt very welcomed. Really. Can you hear the sarcasm? Sojiro let out a sigh before shaking his head. Seems he can tell just how unprofessional they were being.

"If you're both done complaining, there is something I wish to bring up." He announced.

The principal grunted in response.

"As I'm sure you know, Kurusu here has a reputation prior to the arrest. For the protection of the students and himself, we wish to refer to him as another name." Sojiro explained.

The principal simply nodded.

"We already got the call. Mr. Kurusu is now Ren Amamiya. It says so on his ID and it will be the name Ms. Kawakami refers to him tomorrow."

Akira looked down at his ID and sure enough, it was Ren. It seems that he really was supposed to pretend to be someone else. Once the meeting was over, the teen and Sojiro headed back towards the entrance. Sojiro stopped talking and turned to look at him.

"You know this is your last chance. You were lucky this school even accepted you. If you blow this then you're done for." He explained.

Akira just rolled his eyes.

"I get it." He sighed.

Sojiro narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"I don't think you do. I took you in because I owed your uncle a favor. One call and you're on your way to prison." He warned.

Akira felt chills run down his back. He really did remind him of his uncle. Sojiro turned away and continued to walk towards the exit. Akira was left there in the hall to think about what had just occurred. Looks like his year was going to be rough.

"Shit."

He shoved his hands into his pockets but forgot about the bandages. He felt them come undone and sighed as he pulled his hand out. They were loose enough to expose his hand which he quickly covered. He heard something behind him but found nothing when he turned. He continued to wrap his hand while looking around. Once he finished, he turned and left to find Sojiro.

And from around the corner, a girl peeked out.


End file.
